Thaindian News

Washington, April 5 (IANS) Hindus and Sikhs are featured prominently in a new PBS public television documentary “The Asian & Abrahamic Religions: A Divine Encounter in America” shown over 300 public television stations in US.

The Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE) had collaborated with the Auteur Productions to feature Sikhism as part of the documentary telecast Monday night.

Auteur Productions have previously produced two feature films on Jews and Christians and “Three faiths One God” focused on Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

In one scene, the documentary shows the service at the Guru Gobind Singh

Foundation in which famous Indian hymn singers, Bhai Satvinder Singh, Bhai Harvinder Singh and Bhai Manjeet Singh, who accompanies them on tabla, are performing kirtan, SCORE said

Scenes were shot at the Sikh Temple in Yuba City, California, for the 300th anniversary celebration of Guru Granth Sahib’s Guru Gaddi when about 80,000 Sikhs from around world paraded through the city.

Jerry Krell, producer of the film said: “It is important for anyone concerned with promoting an understanding of the Asian Religions, to become associated with this ground-breaking public television documentary.”

The documentary “explores common beliefs, traditions and rituals, comparing similarities and differences that the Asian religions have with the Abrahamic religions.

Among those interviewed were Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany, a collector of important religious Sikh art and Dr. Jasbir Singh Kang, prominent Yuba City physician and author of “Punjabi Migration to the United States”.

Also interviewed is Dr. Bruce La Brack, Professor of Anthropology and International Studies at University of Pacific and author of “The Sikhs of Northern California” and “Sikhs in the United States”.

Kapany’s collection, which has been exhibited worldwide and is in the permanent collection at the Asian art museum in San Francisco, is also featured in the documentary.